Huddersfield Town look on as Bristol City celebrate scoring their first goal
FA Cup Third Round Bristol City v Huddersfield Town 05/01/19 (Pic by John Rushworth)
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If Huddersfield Town are to mount any sort of survival campaign in the Premier League they are going to have to produce much more than in this ponderous FA Cup exit.

A 72nd-minute goal from City midfielder Josh Brownhill was enough to inflict a ninth successive defeat on David Wagner's side and send 800 travelling blue and white faithful home disappointed.

Even a debut for new loan signing Jason Puncheon at Ashton Gate couldn't lift a lethargic performance, which featured far too many basic errors.

Only skipper Jonathan Hogg showed the sort of purpose necessary to upset Championship opposition and potentially book a place in the Emirates fourth-round draw - but it never really looked likely in a dull display.

Town, looking to reach the FA Cup fourth round in three consecutive seasons for the first time since 1965-66, made eight changes and gave a debut to transfer window loan signing Jason Puncheon.

Adama Diakhaby returned for the first time since October, while Jon Gorenc Stankovic was at the heart of defence in a 4-2-3-1 formation and making his first appearance since the win at Wolves in November.

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Ben Hamer was in goal against the side he supported as a boy, with captain Jonathan Hogg, Elias Kachunga and Mathias Jorgensen the only players to retain their places following the 2-1 home Premier League defeat by Burnley.

Lee Johnson's side, who knocked out four Premier League opponents last season in the League Cup, featured four changes from the team that won at Stoke to take their record to eight matches unbeaten - but included former Town man Jack Hunt and loanee Jamie Paterson.

Bailey Wright, who made his return in the previous game, captained a City team which featured 17-year-old attacking midfielder Sam Pearson on the bench.

While City have a fine record against the top flight in the League Cup, they had not won any of their last 14 FA Cup games against Premier League opponents (drawn four, lost 10) since famously beating Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in January 1994.

Town's fans echoed their support as Puncheon started alongside Hogg at the base of midfield, allowing Bacuna to take the No10 slot.

Chris Lowe and Diakhaby put probing left-wing crosses into the box in the early stages, but Wright and Adam Webster were as solid on the deck as they were in the air.

Town made some careless errors, notably Puncheon at a corner and then Hamer when trying to pass to Jorgensen and conceding a corner, and they misfired in the final third when going forward, wasting the final ball.

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Lowe looked the best point of attack in the first half hour, when Town had 66% possession but neither chance fashioned an effort on target.

Town were being frustrated by City's solid banks of four in defence and spent too long playing square, even missing some simple opportunities to play the ball forward into more attacking areas.

And it was City who went closest to opening the scoring in the 36th minute when a cross from Hunt was headed against the bar by Callum O'Dowda and Famara Diedhiou headed over the rebound under pressure from Hamer.

Then, with 41 minutes on the clock, Paterson sent a bullet shot from 30 yards whistling inches from the target when many in the 5.30pm kick-off crowd (for live foreign TV coverage) thought it was in.

Two minutes from half time, Town responded with their best chance when Laurent Depoitre, at the back post, just couldn't get a firm enough contact on Erik Durm's driven right-flank cross.

Diedhiou missed a decent heading chance from a corner as City finished the half on the front foot, with Town needing to step up.

Wagner sent on Mounie and Pritchard for the second half in place of Depoitre and Bacuna in an attempt to perk things up.

Firstly, on 61, Diakhaby played Lowe into the left side of the box and the German fired a low drive inches wide of the far post.

In the next attack, Puncheon was twice involved but Hogg eventually sliced his shot wide from just inside the box.

Town found another opening, too, on 65, but Mounie lob over keeper Niki Maenpaa was cleared from near the line by Wright.

City sent on Tomas Kalas and Matty Taylor after 67 minutes to replace Paterson and Niclass Eliasson, but the pace of the game remained slow.

Pritchard should have done better as City's defence allowed him to run into the box on 70, but he fired high from a promising position.

It was costly, because in the 72nd minute Josh Brownhill was given time to wriggle in the left side of the box following a corner and the midfielder rifled a low drive past Hamer at the near post.

Wagner reacted immediately by sending on Isaac Mbenza for Diakhaby but it was City who went closest to extending their lead with a fierce cross shot from goalscorer Brownhill, which Hamer beat away well.

An 89th-minute low cross from Mbenza inspired hopes of a late equaliser, but the City defence remained resolute.

Then a last-gasp scramble with Pritchard and Mbenza firing in crosses from the left heightened home anxiety, but Town's efforts were to no avail.